Arbitration, Mediation and Other Dispute Resolution – Worldwide

About

ADR International, LLC is a company specializing in Arbitration and Mediation solutions around the globe. With offices in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and Pompano Beach, Florida and Chicago, Illinois, USA, it helps people find solutions to issues in a cost-efficient, private manner.

About Roger MacDougall

Roger MacDougall, President & CEO of ADR International, LLC is a civil engineer and lawyer, trained in arbitration and mediation, with an MBA in finance. He has handled over a thousand arbitration and mediation cases in Canada and the U.S. as counsel and LR Director and has guided many teams to mutually beneficial solutions. He has heard over 200 arbitration cases as the neutral member of tri-partite, party-appointed arbitration boards. He is an adjunct Professor of Law at John Marshall Law School where he teaches Arbitration Law and a Master of Laws class in negotiation, mediation and arbitration. He also coaches teams in arbitration, mediation and other forms of ADR. For a detailed description of services offered, please click the following link: Services Profile

About Arbitration

Definition: Arbitration is a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) where the parties to a dispute hire an independent third party (the Arbitrator) to decide specific issues between them. This decision is generally binding on the parties and may be enforced by a court.

What to expect: In a typical arbitration case, each side presents their case to the Arbitrator. This is sometimes done by legal counsel hired by the parties, but a lawyer is not required. Once complete, the Arbitrator issues a written decision to the parties. Generally this is a private process, with costs often much lower than a court proceeding.

About Mediation

Definition: Mediation is another form of ADR where the parties to a dispute hire an independent third party (the Mediator) to help them decide specific issues between them. A mediator generally has no power to issue an award. Instead, the Mediator acts as a facilitator to help the parties reach their own agreement. Once reached, the Mediator will often draft or assist the parties in drafting an agreement with which the parties are comfortable. Once an agreement is consummated, this agreement may be enforceable through either arbitration or the courts, depending on it’s terms. If no agreement is reached, the parties are free to pursue other remedies.

What to expect: The Mediator will help the parties communicate with each other and generally help break-down barriers between them. The Mediator may suggest alternatives the parties had not considered. This private process often helps the long-term relationship between the parties.